Cushioning insoles for shoes



Sept. 11, 1956 E. W. TOWN CUSHIONING INSOLES FOR SHOES Filed July 30, 1954 INVENTOR. roaf' W own) from/5x United States Patent CUSHIONING INSOLES FOR SHOES Edward W. Town, Wildwood, N. J.

Application July 30, 1954, Seal No. 446,841

4 claims. (ci. 36-71) This invention relates to cushioning insoles for shoes, and it relates more particularly to insoles adapted to be placed in shoes for the purpose of providing greater comfort to the users, particularly persons suffering from various ailments to which the human feet are susceptible.

Many persons suiier from defects of the feet, some of which are caused by the peculiarities of the modern factory made shoes, and others of which are caused by reason of the use of shoes which are so shaped as to induce disarranvement of the bones and ligaments of the foot. Such shoes are usually worn to satisfy the vanity of the wearer. For the alleviation and correction of such foot troubles many forms of cushions have been devised.

it has heretofore been suggested to provide closed air pockets in insoles for shoes for the purpose of cushioning, but none of them have proved entirely satisfactory for various reasons. One objection to such devices was that the pressure of the air contained within the various pockets should be of a degree properly suited to the individual wearer for the most efficient cushioning, whereas for commercial reasons it was necessary to make the cushions of the same degree of inflation.

In some instances relatively soft cushions were indicated, and in other instances, particularly with heavier people, cushions inated to a higher degree were necessary.

Another objection to the use of closed air pockets in insoles is that in the course of time leakage of the air occurs so that although the cushion portions were initially inated to the proper degree they would, in the course of time, become somewhat dellated and fail to function properly.

Another objection to the use of closed air pockets in insoles is that the feet of the users, of a particular size, vary in their characteristics so that it is not always possible to provide insoles with the cushions at the proper locations for different individuals.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide cushioning insoles for shoes which are provided with pockets of peculiar shape and arrangement for the reception of insertable cushions, preferably of the sealed pneumatic type.

A further object of the invention is to provide insoles of the character aforesaid, in which there may be used insertable cushions inated with air of the desired pressure, and for which cushions of other and different degrees of pressure may be substituted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of cushioning insole of the character aforesaid, in which insertable cushioning elements are placed in pockets in the insole7 and which is constructed and arranged as to permit the proper disposition of the cushioning elements at the desired locations within the pockets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cushioning insole of the character aforesaid, in which the cushioning inserts may be placed within the pockets at the proper positions for the most eicient action and to ice suit the peculiarities of the feet of the person using the same.

The nature and characteristic features of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which:

Figure l is a plan View of a. preferred form of a cushioning insole embodying the main features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a similar section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the heel portion taken on the line 4 4 of Pig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a preferred form of cushioning insert adapted to be placed in a pocket within the insole for the purpose of supporting the metatarsus and the main arch of the foot; and

Fic. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of heel cushion detached, adapted to be placed in a heel pocket in the insole if cushioning of the heel be desired.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawing herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Re-erring to the drawing, the insole proper is preferably made of two sheets or" suitable material having the requisite iiexibility and strength, joined to each other at their edges and slited at desired places to provide pockets for the reception of cushioning insoles.

Certain of the modern plastics in llexible sheet form are quite adaptable for the making of the insoles of the present invention, particularly if said plastics are of the so-called heat scalable type.

The two sheets of material 10 and 1l of which the insoles proper are made, are blanked out of sheets of the proper outline as shown in Fig. l of the drawing, and are superposed and secured to each other by the application of heat to the marginal edges.

The uppermost sheet l0 of the insole is slitted as at 12 to afford access to the interior of the heel portion, and independently to the `vamp and metatarsal regions.

The upper and lower sheets l0 and 1l of the insole proper are also united to each other along a curved line as at 13 at the location adjacent the swell of the shoe at the place where the joint of the little toe is located.

This is for a purpose to be presently explained.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing there is shown detached a preferred form of cushioning insert adapted to be placed between the upper and lower sheets 10 and ll of the insole proper, which insert is of peculiar formation, the same also being preferably made of two sheets 14 and l5 of heat scalable plastic which, however, should be as impervious as possible to the passage of air therethrough. The portion of the cushioning insert which is to ne located under the main arch of the root is provided with two chambers, one of which i6 is positioned along the inner side of the shoe and terminates approximately two-thirds of the length of the insert, and the other chamber 17. which is positioned toward the outer side of the foot and extends forwardly and is in communication with another chamber 1S, at the front end of the insert. The charnber 1S is offset to bring the same approximately in the center of the shoe under the metatarsal portion of the foot.

It will be noted that it is virtually impossible to place the insert in the pocket the wrong way about and thus the proper location of the metatarsal cushion is insured, by the offsetting of the front end of the cushioning insert and the provision, in the insole proper, of the obstruction provided by the sealing of the upper and lower sheets of the insole proper to each other along the curved joining line 13.

By the foregoing arrangement there is provided a novel form of cushioning insole which provides for proper cushioning of the metatarsal portion of the foot, and also for the main arch thereof, the arrangement being such that when more than norm-al pressure is imposed on the metatarsal cushion 18 some of the air contained therein may be forced into the chamber 17 at the rear and on the outer side of the insert, and no diminution of the support of the main arch suppolt is caused by any change in pressure on the metatarsal cushioning portion.

It will also be noted that the arrangement is such that the location of the cushioning insert may be varied longitudinally within the forwardly extending pocket provided between the upper and lower sheets 10 and 11 of the insole proper, so that'the cushioning device may be positioned therein to properly support the metatarsal portionof the foot notwithstanding diierences of the lengths ofthe vamp of the feet of various wearers.

In the heel of the insole proper there is also `provided a pocket, as hereinbefore set forth, in which thereis preferably inserted a relatively stii plate member 20,v prop-v erly shaped to substantially ll the pocket inthe heel fof the insole proper. This relatively sti plate member 20 Y offmovement within the forwardlyextending pocket.

Y willvserve to position the heel of the insole in the heel poition of the shoe, and thereby locate the othervparts, of

` outline to fit the interiorof a shoe-consisting'l of thin sheet rmembers secured to each otherattheirmarginal edges, one of said sheet members being slitted adjacent lthe heel the'insole at their proper positions in the shoe.

However, in lieu of the plate member V20, a pneumatic cushion 21 of the type shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing may be employed so as to provide a cushioning eiect for v) the heel of the wearer.

The heel cushioning device shown in Fig. 6 of they drawing may be of the type hereinbefore referred to, likewise, being made of two sheets of heat scalable material joinedy l' to each Either along the marginale'dge and internallyto provide a Ufshaped nchamber 22-for holding air under pressure. Y f

i claim: Vl. A unitary cushioning insert for insertion. in a pocket formed between two thin sheet members shaped to t the f interior of a shoe, said insert being made of flexible material and having sealed pneumatic cushioning chambersfa portion of one of which is located forwardly and offset to one side to be positioned under the metatarsal portion of the foot, and another portion of which is in communialong the inner side to be positioned underv the arch of the foot.

2. A cushioning insole comprising a device shaped in outline to t the interior of a shoe consisting of thin sheet members secured to each other at their marginal edges, one of said sheet members being slitted adjacent the heel end thereof to provide a pocket extending forwardly therefrom, and a cushioning insert for placement in the forwardly extending pocket, said insert being made of flexible material and having sealed pneumatic cushioning chambers, a portion of one of which is located forwardly and oiset to one side to be positioned under the metatarsal portion ofthe foot, and anotherportion of which is in communication therewith and extends alongy the Vouter side of the foot, and another sealed pneumatic chamber extending alongthe inner side to be positioned under the arch of the foot, said cushioning insert having a substantial range of movement Within the` forwardlyV extending pocket.

'31 A cushioning insole coinprising a device shaped outline to fitthe'interior of a shoe consisting of thin sheetf' ible material and having sealed pneumatic cushioning chambers, a portion of one of whichis locatedforwardly and offset to one side to be positioned under the metatarsal portion of the foot, and another portion of which is in communication therewith and extends along the outer side of the foot, and another sealedpneumatic chamber exl.

tending `along the inner side to be positioned under the l arch'vof the footand an obstruction in said pocket to the j y rear 'and one side of th'e metatar'sal portion preventing theV l-in'ip'roper placing ofthe metatarsal cushioning portion of the-insert, said cushioning insert having a substantial range `4.,A, cushioning insole comprising a deviceshaped in 'endthereof to provide a pocket extending forwardly therefrom,rand a cushioning insert for placement in said pocket, l said insert-being vmade of flexible material andl having'Y Y sealedpneumatic cushioning chambers, a portion of one l of which is located forwardly andoffset to oneside to be positioned under the metatarsal portion'A ofthe foot, and

' anotherl portiony of which is in communication therewith and extends along the outer side of Ythe foot, and another.

` 4Qv sealedjpneumatic chamber extendingalong'the inner side .to be` positioned under the arch of the foot, and an obstruction in Isaid forwardly, extending pocket to the rear and one side of the'metatarsal'portion provided by the uniting of thetop and bottom Vsheets of the insole proper-to prevent; the improper placing of vthe metatarsal ycushioning l portion-of the. insert, said cushioning Yinsert having a suby stantia'l range of movement within said pocket.

cation therewith and extends along lthe outer side of the' foot, and another sealed pneumatic lchamber extending l Reftrnes Cited in the 11150111118 paient a UNTTED- STATES PATENTS- v.15223,3'68 'f' 

